Expansion end closure or cap for tubes



v v OCL 22, 1940. J Q 2,218,581

7 EXPANSION END CLOSURE OR GAP FOR TUBES Filed Nov. 29,1938

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 22, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,218,581 EXPANSION END cLosUnn on on iron TUBES John F. Lcvan, Elkhart, Ind., assignor to Excel Curtain Company, Inc,

ration oflndiana -Ind.,acorpo- Application November 29, ms, Serial No. 242,914

3 Claims. (01. 220-245) This invention relates to end closures or caps for tubes, which are readily applied to the tubes to permanently close the ends thereof and also.

which are particularly economical in construction and consist of few easily assembled parts. More specifically, it has for its object an end closure which consists of a head or cap and an annular series of prongs secured to the cap centrally thereof by a hollow rivet and a disk expander coacting with outwardly inclined end portions of and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is bad to the accompanying drawing, in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of thisend closure, the contiguous end portion of a tube being also shown.

Figure 2 is an expanded view of parts of the expansion end closure. 4

l designates the cap or head, this being here shown as having a convex body portion 2 and a rim 3 which fits over the end of the tube T. The

cap is formed with a central perforation or opening 4 and withan inwardly extending annularlip 5 forming a continuation of the opening, which lip constitutes a hollow rivet.

6 designates an annular series of spring prongs having-outwardly inclined ends I, the edges of which bite into the inner face of the tube T. These prongs have a base portion 8 common to 4.5 a plurality or all of them, which base portion is formed with a central opening 9 for receiving the hollow rivet'li. After being mounted on the hollow rivet, the rivet is upset or spun over, and hence the prongs secured to the head I. The base portion 8 lies flatwise on the inner face of the base or the convex portion 2 thereof. i0 designates ,the expander which is in the form of a disk, this coacting at its margin with the outwardly inclined ends I of the prongs i, and being preferablyformed with its margin beveled at I l for coacting with the inclined surfaces on the end portions I of the prongs 8.

I2 is the screw extending through the opening 4 in the hollow rivet l5 and threading axially into the disk It, the screw having its head counter- I sunk or located in the opening 4, which is larger than the interior of the hollow rivet, so that the head of the screw is practically flush with the outer face of the head I or the convex portion 2 thereof.

The rim 3 fits over the end margin of the tube and thus protects the edge of the tube. which -would otherwise be exposed against corrosion.

These tubes are made up of layers with an interof stainless steel. The rim of the cap protects the carbon steel against corrosion, and hence bleeding around the edge of the cap. The prongs are thus a unit capable of gripping tubes of various diameters, within limits, and capable of being attached to heads of various sizes to slip on the ends of the tubes of different sizes.

The prongs, owing to their construction, may be applied to caps for tubes of various diameters, as prongs of a given size are adapted to tubes of various inside diameters, and snugly grip tubes of diiferent diameters by drawing in the expander disk llby means of the screw l2 more or less in accordance with the interior diameter of the tube T. In all cases, the cap is firmly held in position, due ,to the ends of the prongs biting into the tube, and hence the cap can not be removed by tamperers.

What I claim is:

1. An expansion end closure for tubes and the a like comprising a cap formed with a central opening and an-inwardly extending tubular lip around said opening, an annular series of spring prongs projecting from the inner face of the cap and having outwardly inclined ends for gripping at their edges the inner face of the tube, the

like comprising a cap formed with a central 50 opening and an annular lip projecting inwardly from the opening constituting a hollow rivet, spring prongs including portions lying flatwise against the inner face of the cap and mounted on the hollow rivet and secured to the cap there- 3. An expansion end closure for tubes and the like comprising a cap having a central opening and a tubular lip extending into the cap forming a hollow rivet, an annular series of spring prongs including a base portion common to the prongs and lying flatwise against the inner face of the cap, the base being provided with a central opening mounted on the hollow rivet and secured to the cap by said hollow rivet, the prongs being formed with outwardly inclined ends for gripping the inner face of the tube, an expander disk coacting at its margin with said inclined ends of the prongs, a screw slidable through the ,opening in the cap and the hollow rivet and threading into the disk and having its head in said opening; 10

JOHN F. LEVAN. 

